U.S. patent application number 10/521608 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-29 for mobile wind and solar energy aggregate.
Invention is credited to Peter Alexander Josephus Pas.
Application Number | 20060137348 10/521608 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19773745 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060137348 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pas; Peter Alexander
Josephus |
June 29, 2006 |
Mobile wind and solar energy aggregate
Abstract
A mobile power station. The power station has a transportable
housing. This housing is provided with a wind turbine and/or a
solar cell panel containing solar cells and storage elements for
storing electrical energy and supplying electrical energy. The wind
turbine and the solar panel, respectively, are actively connected
to the storage elements for supplying thereto electrical energy
generated by the wind turbine and the solar panel, respectively.
The storage elements include a battery as well as a hydrogen
system. The hydrogen system includes a hydrogen generator, a
hydrogen tank and a hydrogen cell for generating electrical energy
by combustion of hydrogen. The mobile power station in particular
also has a solar collector panel that is actively connected to a
boiler for hot water.
Inventors: |
Pas; Peter Alexander Josephus;
(Lengel, NL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
745 SOUTH 23RD STREET
2ND FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22202
US
|
Family ID: |
19773745 |
Appl. No.: |
10/521608 |
Filed: |
July 17, 2002 |
PCT Filed: |
July 17, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/NL02/00481 |
371 Date: |
January 30, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/641.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02E 60/50 20130101;
Y02E 60/36 20130101; H02S 10/10 20141201; F05B 2240/142 20130101;
F03D 9/007 20130101; F03D 9/11 20160501; Y02E 70/30 20130101; F05B
2220/61 20130101; F03D 13/20 20160501; F03D 9/19 20160501; F05B
2240/94 20130101; Y02E 10/72 20130101; F03D 9/25 20160501; Y02E
10/46 20130101; Y02E 10/728 20130101; Y02E 10/50 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
060/641.1 |
International
Class: |
F03G 7/00 20060101
F03G007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 17, 2001 |
NL |
1018569 |
Claims
1-8. (canceled)
9. Mobile power station having a transportable housing provided
with: a wind turbine and/or a solar cell panel containing solar
cells and storage means for storing electrical energy and
delivering electrical energy, wherein the storage means comprise a
battery, and wherein the wind turbine and the solar panel,
respectively, are operatively connected to the storage means for
supplying electrical energy generated by the wind turbine and the
solar panel, respectively, to said storage means, characterized in
that the storage means further comprise a hydrogen system, and
wherein the hydrogen system comprises a hydrogen generator, a
hydrogen tank, operatively connected to the hydrogen generator, for
storing hydrogen produced using the hydrogen generator, and a fuel
cell, operatively connected to the hydrogen tank, for generating
electrical energy by oxidation of hydrogen.
10. Mobile power station according to claim 9, containing a water
tank for rainwater, wherein the water tank is operatively connected
via a filter system, preferably of the membrane type, to the
hydrogen generator.
11. Mobile power station according to claim 10, containing a solar
collector panel that is operatively connected to a boiler for hot
water.
12. Mobile power station according to claim 11, wherein the water
tank is operatively connected to the boiler.
13. Mobile power station according to claim 9, wherein the
transportable housing is a container, such as a 20, 30 or 40 foot
freight or sea container.
14. Mobile power station according to claim 9, wherein the wind
turbine is mounted on the housing and extends upwards from the roof
of the housing, or at least can be brought into an active position
extending upwards from the roof of the housing.
15. Mobile power station according to claim 14, wherein the housing
has a block-shaped base frame and wherein extendable supports are
provided on opposite sides, in particular opposite longitudinal
sides, of the housing.
16. Mobile power station according to claim 9, wherein the hydrogen
system is accommodated in the housing and wherein the housing is
provided with vents.
17. Mobile power station according to claim 9, wherein the solar
cell panel and/or the solar collector panel are/is, or at least can
be, mounted on hinges on the outside of the housing.
18. Mobile power station according to claim 9, wherein the power
station is provided with a connection for filling the tank of a
vehicle.
19. Mobile power station according to claim 9, containing a solar
collector panel that is operatively connected to a boiler for hot
water.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile power station
having a transportable housing.
[0002] Mobile power stations having a transportable housing in
which they are housed are known. Consideration can be given, for
example, to a diesel generator that can be mounted on a trailer or
lorry.
[0003] Mobile power stations of this type are used in particular
for generating energy, in particular electrical energy, in
locations where there is no connection to the mains power supply.
The disadvantage of the known mobile power stations is, however,
that these use fossil fuels, such as diesel oil, for generating
electricity and that during the combustion of these fossil fuels
exhaust gases are produced which are released into the environment
and thus introduce harmful or at least undesirable substances into
the environment.
[0004] The aim of the present invention is, in particular, to
provide a mobile power station that is of universal applicability
and is able to generate sustainable energy everywhere, without
there being a need for a mains power supply to be present, and
which can continue to supply electrical energy autonomously even in
the absence of external energy sources, such as wind and sun, and
the absence of any other external energy supply.
[0005] The abovementioned aim is achieved according to the
invention with a mobile power station having a transportable
housing provided with:
[0006] a wind turbine and/or
[0007] a solar cell panel containing solar cells and
[0008] storage means for storing electrical energy and delivering
electrical energy,
wherein the wind turbine and the solar panel, respectively, are
actively connected to the storage means for supplying electrical
energy generated by the wind turbine and the solar panel,
respectively, to said storage means,
wherein the storage means comprise a battery and a hydrogen system,
and
[0009] wherein the hydrogen system comprises a hydrogen generator,
a hydrogen tank, actively connected to the hydrogen generator, for
storing hydrogen produced using the hydrogen generator, and a
hydrogen cell, actively connected to the hydrogen tank, for
generating electrical energy by combustion of hydrogen, or, to put
it more accurately, oxidation of hydrogen to give water. The
hydrogen cell, which is also termed a fuel cell, contains a
membrane that ensures that the H.sub.2 gas bonds with the O.sub.2
gas by means of a redox reaction, a reaction in which a stream of
electrons from 2.times.H.sub.2+O.sub.2 gives 2.times.H.sub.2O. Both
the H.sub.2 and the O.sub.2 undergo a transition from neutral
particles to electrically charged particles which release ions
during their transition.
[0010] Where mention is made of combustion in this application this
refers in particular to oxidation of hydrogen to give water. This
can also be referred to as chemically controlled conversion of
hydrogen to water.
[0011] The mobile power station according to the invention is
capable of generating electrical energy by means of the wind
turbine and/or the solar cell panel and of supplying this
electrical energy to a consumer. If the consumer does not require
the generated electrical energy immediately, or if the generated
electrical energy is in excess of the requirement at that point in
time, the mobile power station according to the invention is able
to store this generated electrical energy in the storage means in
order subsequently to be able to supply this energy when there is
demand for the electrical energy but there is no wind and/or sun
for generating electrical energy by means of the wind turbine or
the solar panel, respectively, or when the demand for electrical
energy is higher than the amount of energy that can be produced at
that point in time by the wind turbine or the solar panel,
respectively. To this end the storage means comprise a battery and
a hydrogen system. The battery, which, of course, can consist of a
number of accumulators, has the disadvantage that it takes up a
relatively large volume but has the advantage that it is able to
supply electrical energy immediately when this is required. The
hydrogen system is capable of forming a much larger energy buffer.
To this end this hydrogen system comprises a hydrogen generator
which decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen by means of
electric power supplied to it. Such a hydrogen generator can be a
so-called caustic potash decomposition unit. The hydrogen system
further comprises a hydrogen tank for storing the hydrogen produced
by the hydrogen generator. Hydrogen can then be taken off from the
hydrogen tank when there is a demand for electrical energy, in
order to supply this hydrogen to a hydrogen cell in which the
hydrogen is burned with the generation of electrical energy. The
combustion of hydrogen is a clean combustion or 100% clean
chemically controlled conversion of hydrogen to water, which has
hardly any or no associated disadvantages for the environment. The
battery will preferably also be actively connected to the hydrogen
cell in order to be able to bring this hydrogen cell into operation
from stationary when there is a demand for electrical energy. A
mobile power station of this type can relatively easily, on the one
hand, be so designed that it can be accommodated in its entirety
in, for example, a 40 foot sea container and, on the other hand, is
capable of providing a household with adequate electrical
energy.
[0012] A mobile power station according to the invention will
advantageously further comprise a solar collector panel that is
actively connected to a boiler for hot water. In this way the
mobile power station is also capable of supplying hot water, the
water being heated in the boiler by the heat captured in the solar
collector panel, and of dispensing water to be heated in said
boiler. This entire unit can also still easily be accommodated in
the said 40 foot container, whilst the capacity to supply hot water
is adequate for an average household.
[0013] In order to allow the mobile power station to operate
autonomously, it is preferable according to the invention if this
has a water tank for rainwater, which water tank is actively
connected via a filter system, preferably of the membrane type, to
the hydrogen generator as well as preferably also to the boiler. In
this way connection of the mobile power station to the water supply
is superfluous and except in the case of inadequate rainfall a
water supply can be completely dispensed with.
[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention,
the transportable housing is a container, such as a 20, 30 or 40
foot freight container or a 20, 30 or 40 foot sea container. Such
containers are relatively inexpensive and readily available and
have the very significant advantage that because of their standard
dimensions they can easily be placed on lorries, trains and ships
and transported to their destination.
[0015] The wind turbine can be erected separately from the housing.
However, with a view to simple, rapid and reliable erection of the
mobile power station at the destination, it is preferable if the
wind turbine is mounted on the housing and extends upwards from the
roof of the housing, or at least can be brought into an active
position extending upwards from the roof of the housing. With this
arrangement the wind turbine, in particular the column on which the
rotor is mounted, can extend through the roof of the housing in
order to be fixed to the base of the housing or some other interior
housing. In order, on the one hand, to obtain a transportable
housing that is easy to manhandle and, on the other hand, a housing
that is stable in the position ready for use, it is preferable
according to the invention if the housing has a block-shaped base
frame and if extendable supports are provided on opposite sides, in
particular opposite longitudinal sides, of the housing. The
extendable supports, which can also be provided with jacks to
enable level support on the ground, ensure that the housing cannot
be blown over as a result of the wind turbine on top of it.
[0016] According to the invention the storage means will
advantageously be accommodated in the housing and the housing will
be provided with vents. These vents serve to ensure that any gases
escaping from the battery or the hydrogen system are discharged to
the outside in order to prevent explosive gas mixtures occurring in
the housing.
[0017] So that the solar energy can be utilised in as optimum a
manner as possible, it is preferable if the solar cell panel and/or
the solar collector panel are/is, or at least can be, mounted on
hinges on the outside of the housing. It is optionally conceivable
to accommodate the solar cell panel and/or the solar collector
panel in the housing during transport in order to prevent them from
being damaged. The hinged mounting makes it possible to angle the
solar cell panel and/or the solar collector panel towards the sun.
With this arrangement it is optionally also readily conceivable for
a control device also to be coupled to the solar cell panel and/or
the solar collector panel, which control device is equipped to
allow the solar cell panel or solar collector panel to follow the
position of the sun in the sky.
[0018] The present invention will be explained in more detail below
with reference to an illustrative embodiment shown diagrammatically
in the drawing. In the drawing:
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a highly diagrammatic, perspective view of the
exterior of a mobile power station according to the invention;
and
[0020] FIG. 2 shows a highly diagrammatic, perspective view of the
interior of a mobile power station according to the invention.
[0021] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example of an embodiment, and
specifically a preferred embodiment, of a mobile power station
according to the invention.
[0022] The mobile power station shown comprises a transportable
housing in the form of a 40 foot sea container 1 with conventional
corner castings 28 and two doors 15 at one end. Configuration of
the mobile power station in and on such a container 1 has the major
advantage that this makes it possible to transport the mobile power
station using means already available for the transport of such sea
containers.
[0023] The mobile power station is provided on the roof with a wind
turbine 2, 3, 4 which can be held upright by a guy wire 13 and
which can be lowered in the longitudinal direction of the container
1 to lie in support 8 in a horizontal position. The wind turbine
comprises a telescopic column 2, 3, which when erected in the use
position extends upwards from the roof of the container, with a
wind turbine head provided with rotor blades 4 thereon.
[0024] The container 1 is provided with a panel 10 on one
longitudinal side and optionally on two longitudinal sides. This
panel 10 is a solar cell panel. This solar cell panel can be opened
out with respect to the adjacent longitudinal wall of the container
1 by means of a boom 14, whilst this panel hinges about a hinge 29
running in the longitudinal direction of the container 1. The boom
14 can form part of a control device, which is equipped to be able
to adjust the angle of the solar cell panel 10 with respect to the
vertical as a function of the position of the sun in the sky. By
designing the extender mechanism 14 in a suitable manner it is also
conceivable that the solar cell panel 10 is opened outwards by more
than 90.degree. about hinge axis 29 in order to be facing the sun
should this be on the right-hand side of the page of the
drawing.
[0025] A solar collector panel 9 is provided on the roof of the
container 1, which panel can be brought into an angled position
directed towards the sun by means of extender arms 12, for example
telescopic extender arms 12. These solar collector panels 9 are
joined to the container 1 by means of hinges along a hinge axis 30
that extends in the longitudinal direction of the container 1. It
should be clear that several solar collector panels 9 can have been
provided on the roof of the container 1 and also that it is
conceivable that several solar cell panels 10 can have been
provided on one longitudinal side of the container. It is also very
readily conceivable to change over the position of the solar cell
panels 10 and solar collector panels 9, to provide both solar cell
panels 10 and the solar collector panels 9 on the roof of the
container 1, to provide both solar cell panels 10 and solar
collector panels 9 on one or two longitudinal sides of the
container and to make other combinations thereof.
[0026] Vents 11, consisting of a vent opening and a cover placed
over this to prevent ingress of rain, are also provided in the roof
of the container 1.
[0027] In order to prevent the container 1 from being blown over or
falling over, in particular when strong gusts of wind are acting on
the wind turbine 1, a support system 5 that can be swung out is
provided on both longitudinal sides of the container 1. The support
system 5 consists of two arms that can be pivoted about hinge axis
6 and meet at a common point and at that point are equipped with a
jack 7 that is adjustable in the vertical direction. In FIG. 1 the
support system 5 is shown in the transport position, in the sense
that it is folded back against the longitudinal side wall of the
container 1. It should be clear that this support system 5 can be
swung through 90.degree. or optionally more with respect to the
container wall.
[0028] The container 1 is provided on the outside, but can
optionally also be provided on the inside, with a connection 26 for
electrical energy, or to put it more accurately electric power, as
well as a connection 27 for hot water.
[0029] With reference to FIG. 2, the following are accommodated
inside the container 1: [0030] a tank 19 for storing hydrogen,
H.sub.2, [0031] a boiler 20 for producing and storing hot water,
[0032] a storage vessel 21 for rainwater, which, inter alia, can be
collected by means of a gutter 16 at the bottom of the solar cell
panel 10 and is fed to the rainwater vessel 21 by means of a pump,
[0033] a hydrogen generator 22 with an oxygen discharge 23 and a
hydrogen discharge 24 leading to the hydrogen tank 19, [0034] a
fuel cell 17 suitable for generating electrical energy from
hydrogen supplied via line 25 from the tank 19, [0035] a battery 18
for storing and supplying electrical energy.
[0036] The mobile power station according to the invention is
capable of producing electrical energy from the sun or the wind by
means of the solar cell panel 10 provided with solar cells and/or
the wind turbine 2, 3, 4, respectively, and supplying this
electrical energy via connection 26 to a user and/or storing this
electrical energy in the battery 18 and/or by means of this
electrical energy generating hydrogen in the hydrogen generator by
electrolysis of suitably filtered rainwater, which hydrogen is fed
via line 24 to the tank 19 for storage, as well as generating
oxygen, which is discharged into the environment via line 23. The
hydrogen stored in the tank 19 can be fed at a suitable point in
time, depending on the demand for electrical energy, to the fuel
cell 17 in order to generate electrical energy in said fuel cell by
combustion of the hydrogen, which electrical energy can then be
supplied to the end user and/or can be fed to the battery 18 for
storing in said battery 18. Electrical energy from the battery 18
and/or electrical energy originating from the wind turbine 2, 3, 4
or the solar cell panel 10 can be used to start up the fuel cell.
It should be clear that for the purposes of the abovementioned
active connections, the necessary cabling, in particular for
electrical leads, which is not shown, will have been laid and also
that the necessary transformers, control systems, etc., which are
not shown and are also not discussed further, will have been
provided, which for a person skilled in the art are no more than
obvious and standard.
[0037] The solar collector 9 and boiler 20, which can be regarded
as optional, provide the possibility that the mobile power station
is also able to meet the need for hot water. The water to be heated
in the boiler 20 could originate from the rainwater store 21, after
suitable filtering and, if necessary, suitable purification, but
can also originate from a storage vessel, that is not shown, to be
installed outside the container 1 or from the mains water supply.
Water circulated through a loop will be heated in the solar
collector 9 by the sun in order then to be fed to the boiler 20 and
there to transfer heat, via a heat exchanger that is not shown, to
the water contained in the boiler, in order, after heat transfer,
to be returned to the solar collector 9 to absorb heat again from
the sun.
[0038] An example will be given below with a few indicative values
for a mobile power station according to the invention, which is
suitable for meeting the needs of a household. These values are:
[0039] the solar panel 10 will contain approximately 24 m.sup.2 of
solar cells; [0040] the solar collector 9 will occupy a surface
area of approximately 12 m.sup.2; [0041] the wind turbine can be a
turbine with a power of 1.5 to 3 kW, such as, for example,
approximately 2.5 kW; [0042] the hydrogen tank 19 can have a
capacity of approximately 5 m.sup.3 and be able to withstand an
operating pressure of approximately 25 bar; [0043] the water tank
can have a capacity of approximately 2 m.sup.3. In this example the
water tank 21 containing rainwater has been sized mainly with
regard to adequate capacity for the hydrogen generator. Surplus
water, optionally after storage in an additional container that is
not shown, can be used for flushing toilets, etc.
[0044] A mobile power station of this type can provide a household
with electric power with a maximum peak load of approximately 5,000
watt when the sun is shining and wind is blowing at 6 m/s. As a
consequence of the battery and the stored hydrogen, the mobile
power station can also provide the household with electric power
when there is no wind or sun. The battery 18, or a number of
batteries 18, as well as the hydrogen system is useful for this
purpose.
[0045] With regard to the hydrogen system, the following values may
be mentioned in this example. When the hydrogen tank 19 is filled
to 20 bar there is approximately 100 m.sup.3 hydrogen available for
generating power. With a yield of the order of magnitude of 80%,
this gives approximately 400 kWh power. This is more than adequate
for two months power consumption by an average family, including
the use of a dishwasher and a washing machine.
[0046] If the mobile power station is provided with a suitable
connection for this, the hydrogen from the hydrogen tank 19 can
also be used to drive a vehicle, such as a car. The vehicle will
then first store the hydrogen in its own tank, in order to be able
to operate independently of the container 1.
[0047] Surplus electrical energy can optionally be supplied
directly to the mains power supply.
[0048] For reasons of safety, detectors for, in particular,
hydrogen will have been provided inside the container, as well as,
optionally, detectors for gases originating from the battery, and
warning systems coupled to said detectors or further safety
measures for ventilation of the interior of the container.
[0049] The mobile power station according to the invention is
regarded as a mobile unit and is thus MOVABLE PROPERTY (and not
immovable property). Consequently under existing legislation
planning permission is NOT required for this design and as a result
it can be used on a large scale without going through official
channels.
[0050] The container can be finished in brown and green colouring
such that it does not produce a blot on the landscape in its
surroundings. The pretty colour scheme will result in camouflage of
the functionality and at a distance will create the impression of a
garden shed.
* * * * *